The story about Georg Jensen Damask

The 16th century

The Georg-Jensen family was the foundation stone of theGeorg Jensen Damask, as we know it today. The large oak loom, which since the foundation of the company has been owned by the Georg Jensen family, is displayed in our showroom in Kolding. Using the radiocarbon-14 dating for determining the age, the loom is from the 16th century.

Up to the 18th century

The family make a living by farming and weaving. The weaving village is based on female labour with only local farms as customers.

From 1756

Weaving traditions and traditional women’s work becomes in earnest a profession. In the Georg Jensen Damask family, they have been weaving on the old oak loom since the 16th century, but as Andreas Jensen (1733-1805) and Kirsten Christensdatter (1740-1781) become married, their marriage becomes the foundation of the Georg Jensen Damask, as we know it today. Weaving becomes the primary profession at Vævergaarden, and 5 – 6 assistants are employed.

From 1850

Jens Andreas Jensen (1854-1936), takes over after his father Henrik Georg Jensen (1815-1881), and participates in fairs at home and abroad. The participation brings honour and glory, for example, a Gold medal at the World’s fair in Paris.

From 1900

The industrialization in Denmark begins (it runs from mid 1800 to mid 1900) and the first mechanical looms are put into service.

1915

The weaving mill is moved to larger locations at Hollændervej in Kolding. Henrik Georg Jensen starts a design cooperation with architects and designers. An industrial enterprise is established.

1920’ies

The weaving mill employs 10-12 men. At the beginning of the 1920'ies architect, C. Svane draws the first logo.In the 1920'ies, the architect Knud V. Engelhardt redraws the logo, as we know it today. The two Weaver Birds placed next to their nest is a symbol of the young couple nesting. The leafage shapes the letters G and J for Georg Jensen. The heart is the signature of Knud V. Engelhardt and has at the same time a beautiful symbolic value.

The logo with the Weaver birds are woven into all Georg Jensen damask tablecloths, further more you can find the logo in most of our products.

1942

The first Ltd (A/S) is founded. The damask collection is sold through sales personnel, who visit the customers in their homes. Slowly but surely the design development phase is re-establishedduring the last years of World War 2 after several years with a lapse of the basic material. Bent Georg Jensen takes over the chief executive position in 1949, at an age of 26 years.

1963

In April 1963 the factory moves to Dieselvej 1 in Kolding. The buildings are awarded a prize as innovative. A lot of weaving mills are closing because of bad times, but Georg Jensen Damask manages to get through the difficult times because of high quality, superb service and beautiful designs.

The 1990’ies

The weaving mill is developing – now with computerised weaving looms. Bent Georg Jensen is the last to own the weaving mill in the Georg Jensen family, as he sells the company to a group of investors in 1999. Tradition for a family-owned company through generations has reached its end.

2000

Georg Jensen Damask is assigned Purveyor to Her Majesty the Queen because of years of co-operation with The Royal Danish Court, e.g. Kronedugen and wallpaper for The Knights Hall at Christiansborg Palace.

From 2002 to 2004

In 2004, the Hviid family buy Georg Jensen Damask, and Georg Jensen Damask is back where it started; as a family-owned corporation. In 2002, Peter Hulweg Christensen is employed as managing director and he starts an important turnaround of the entire company, which at this particular point struggles financially.The production machinery is out of date and therefore one of the tougher decisions is to place the entire production abroad. The company chooses countries, which are known for their proud weaving traditions – amongst others The Czech Republic and India.

Up to 2010

In the year's from 2002 – 2004, they phased out the external sales personnel and starts the opening of General Stores. The web shop is launched in 2010 and becomes rapidly the largest shop. Furthermore, there is established a cooperation with agents and retailers both at home and abroad.

Today

Georg Jensen Damask is a modern textile design company with a focus on quality, functionality and classic designs. The creative surroundings for the activities are still the domicile in Kolding.

Through close and development cooperation with the best designers of our time, we have created a textile universe of classic products, which apply to the discerning customer. We still develop the collection with respect towards generations of weaving traditions, but which also matches the trend of the times.

About Damask

Georg Jensen Damask is a culture bearer within Danish design tradition as well as the history of craft. Our history is built on proud weaving traditions since 1756, but members of the family behind Georg Jensen Damask have been weavers all the way back to the 1500s. The weaving is based on a classic design with a focus on functionality and quality both back then and today.

Throughout times we have worked together with some of the most acknowledged weavers, designers and architects, for example Arne Jacobsen, Cecilie Manz, Andreas Engesvik, Margrethe Odgaard and Nanna Ditzel. Furthermore, we have been involved in several projects with the Royal Danish Court and we are proud to call ourselves Purveyor to Her Majesty the Queen of Denmark.